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Technologies licensed

Wherever threatening situations arise, in-place security measures make the most of every second. On Feb. 8, a startup firm in Knoxville, Tenn., licensed two security-related technologies from the Y‑12 National Security Complex that do just that. The technologies, which delay entrance to controlled-access areas, provide a security solution for various potential markets: commercial nuclear facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturers, correctional facilities and large sporting venues, as well as for other Department of Energy sites.

Sustainable Environment Technologies, LLC (SET), licensed the Access Rate Control System (ARCS) and the Delayed Latching Mechanism (DLM). “The ARCS and the DLM will help to prevent harmful security incidents, create operational efficiencies for government and private-sector institutions, and keep people safe,” said Dan Hurst, who founded SET.

Lee Bzorgi, Y‑12 senior technical advisor and National Security Technology Center director, invented both devices at the Y‑12 Complex to fulfill a need for systems that delay access to secure areas without requiring electrical power.

The ARCS is a kit designed for installation on existing or new full-height turnstiles. It generates resistance and slows entry if someone enters at faster-than-normal speed. Exit speeds are unaffected. The DLM delays the unlatching of gates and doors, requiring a sequence of actions that retract the latch. The delay gives security personnel time to prevent the door or gate from opening if necessary. Personnel inside the gate can operate the latch without the delay feature.